Steve Clarke faces Scotland squad issues and key decisions as manager shorn of coach and numerous players

It’s more than a key member of his coaching staff that Steve Clarke is set to be missing as Scotland prepare for Nations League matches against Croatia and Portugal.

The Scotland manager will announce his squad on Tuesday. Clarke has his usual list of injury problems to navigate. These headaches are compounded by the loss of set-piece coach Austin MacPhee, who has stepped down due to a combination of family illness and club commitments with Aston Villa.

Already on a historic worst-ever run of eight competitive matches without a victory, Clarke is targeting some relief in the upcoming pair of fixtures.

However, making things trickier is knowing that Scot Gemmill’s Scotland Under-21s have two important games against Belgium and Kazakhstan in the same window, with a best runners-up slot remaining within their grasp ahead of the next Euros.

Scotland head coach Steve Clarke names his Scotland squad on Tuesday. | SNS Group

The nation’s football prospects could be better served by Ben Doak, who won his first senior cap against in the 3-2 defeat to Poland in the last window, being made available to the Under-21s. The same applies to the like of Josh Doig, Max Johnston and Connor Barron.

At the same time, Clarke may well be considering delivering Gemmill a hammer blow by taking Motherwell lynchpin Lennon Miller from him. The 18-year-old has a claim to be considered Scotland’s in-form player at the moment.

Clarke knows he must find a replacement for MacPhee’s Villa clubmate John McGinn, whose hamstring injury picked up against Wolves last weekend was exceptionally badly timed. He will now miss his side's first home European Cup/Champions League tie for over 40 years this week against Bayern Munich, the team Villa defeated to win the trophy in 1982.

Defence is also an issue for Clarke. Jack Hendry has not featured for Al-Ittifaq since being left out of the last Scotland squad due to a knee tendon injury, while Scott McKenna, now at UD Las Palmas, is also set to miss out. McKenna has hurt a muscle in his left hamstring.

Their absence could pave the way for Preston North End defender Liam Lindsay, periodically rumoured to be on the verge of a call-up. Now 28, it’s reaching now or never time.

Liam Lindsay is reportedly in the frame for a Scotland call-up. | Getty Images

McKenna’s injury is a particular blow – he was a standout in the recent 2-1 defeat to Portugal. He missed Las Palmas’ 1-1 draw against Real Betis on Thursday.

Teammate Oli McBurnie came on as substitute in that same game as he attempts to force his way back into the Scotland reckoning. He has, however, still to open his account for the Canaries-based club. Clarke can at least count on welcoming first-choice striker Che Adams back into the group.

The Torino player was the subject of controversy prior to the last double header after reports he had asked to be excluded as he continued settling into life in Italy. Clarke denied this and stressed he had been informed by Torino, as well as by the player himself, that injury was the reason.

Adams has since made a point of underlining in an interview how important switching eligibility from England to Scotland has been in his development as a player.

He came off the bench on Sunday to score his third goal for Torino in the 3-2 home defeat to Lazio.

Although still eligible for the Under-21s, Tommy Conway is likely to keep his senior squad place due to shortage of options up front, assuming he gets over his own niggling injury issues. He missed Middlesbrough’s match at the weekend. Birmingham City’s Lyndon Dykes was replaced at half time of his side’s 3-2 win over Peterborough Town.

Lennon Miller has been impressive for Motherwell this season. | SNS Group

Forgotten man Jacob Brown, meanwhile, has just made his first Luton Town appearance since suffering a knee injury ahead of Euro 2024. He came on at half-time in the 3-1 defeat to Plymouth Argyle on Friday. Lawrence Shankland has finally broken his duck for the season, grabbing the late equaliser for Hearts against Ross County at the weekend. It was timely for several reasons, including his Scotland ambitions - Kevin Nisbet is looking to reclaim his Scotland place and could be set to do so after a bright start to his Aberdeen career.

Clarke has spoken about wishing to “re-fresh” the squad and he was true to his word before the last double header, when he brought in Ryan Gauld.

Gauld's belated call-up could be partly attributed to Lewis Ferguson's continued absence due to injury as well as Stuart Armstrong being clubless for so long over the summer.

Now Armstrong has since signed for Vancouver Whitecaps, with whom he won the Canadian Cup alongside Gauld last week.

Gauld reportedly played through a knock to help the favourites beat Toronto FC in a shootout, with the skipper scoring the first penalty.

It’s understood Gauld is hopeful of playing when his team return to MLS action against Seattle Sounders on Thursday. After being exiled so long, Gauld could be the one welcoming Armstrong back to the international squad.